Autographic register machine



lplrll 24, 1945. H. w Ewl5 2,374,361

AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1944 Patented Apr. 24, 1945UNITED STATES PATENT YFF'ICE AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER MACHINE vHoward W.Lewis, Newton Lower lFalls, Mass.

Application February 4, |1944, Serial No. 521,099

c claims. lol. 282-) This invention relates to autographic registers ofthe general type adapted to handle a Vcontinuous series of record sheetsin strip vor web form and has for its object the `improvement andVsimplification vof the web feeding means for lsuch machines.

Y 'I'he typical vform lof manifold strips I'designed for use in thepresent machine is illustrated in United States patent to Wiswall1,534,478, April 2l, 1925. As therein shown, a plurality of superposedstrips of lrecord sheets are perforated at intervals throughout theirlength with a perforation at a corresponding place in each record 'sheetadapted to be engaged by suitable feeding means for ybeing advanced overthe writing table of an autographic register.

Heretofore the means for `imparting a feed stroke to the superposedstrips, viz., the advancing of a set Vof record sheets into writingposition on the table, has involved 'the use of crank and gearingmechanism `or other relatively compu-- cated devices. In the presentimprovement, the feed stroke for the superposed v'strips is accomplishedby extremely simple mechanism havingay minimum of moving parts andinvolving on lthe operators part merely 'a push with his lfingerAlengthwise of the table against an exposed operating peg. LAlso 'as willappear, the varrangement is such that the action ofthe operator inadvancing the sheets for a feed stroke will serve to effect and maintainaccurate registration of said sheets in their rsuperposed relationdining their travel over the table into writing position. y

Further improvements 'and advantages of the present invention ywillbecome apparent in 'the following more detailed description taken inconnection 4with the accompanying drawing, which show a preferredembodiment Ythereof and 'in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the autographic register machine;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of said machinefwith lcertain -parts broken awayfor -clearness Fig. 3 is Va longitudinal, sectional view along line3--3A of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

more particularly in Fig. 3, vthe supply 16 of strips in manifold formmay be contained within a compartment l at the forward end ofthecabinet, from which the several superposed strips as indicated `at 8 areguided over a drum surface 9 and along the top of the table 2 to befinally deposited in folded form within a rear compartment ID -of 4saidcabinet. At the A'rear vof the v'cabinet, one 'or more 'of the topmoststrips `such as I'I may be 'separated into sheets in the usual manner.

It is customary in these machines 'to provide interleaved carbon'`sheets between the 'several record sheets at -the position where thestrips vvlie upon the writing table. In the present embodi-` mentasshown in Fig. 2, 'there are one or more superposed carbon sheet ltie'mem-bers, 'the topmost 'of which is indicated "at I2 mounted oversuitable pins I3 at 'each 'forward side lof said writing table.Extending rearwardly from each tie member vsuch as I2, is a carbon sheetIi and the rear end of said carbon sheet is indicated in dotted line atI5. It will be understood that additional :carbon tie members 'andsheets may lie below the one shown 'for 'being interleaved between 'the'record sheets of 'the 'manifold vstrips in the usual manner.

The Writing position on the table '2 'is'at the place enclosed by thewindow opening Yll, 'and 'the means for imparting a feed stroke to saidmani. fold strips to bring successive record Asheets thereof into saidWriting position will now be described. 'Mounted within the cabinetlbelow the top thereof are a pair of rotatable belt pulleys 'IE and 'I'Ieach slightly 'flanged and adapted 'to support and Vguide 'thereon anendless .feed belt I8, said beltbeing preferably .in 'the form of a'flat metal band extending from the front ,pulley 'I6 Fig. 4 is'anenlarged fragmentary Jdetailed side View of the web stripping means; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail in plan -cf the same.

Referring more particularly-to the drawing, I indicates the usualcabinet or lhousing for the complete autographic register machine. Atthe top of said cabinet is a writing table or platform 2 which may havea removable 'cover member 3 slightly spaced above the same. lCover 3 isformed with a cutout portion or Window, the outlines of which arevinclicated at lIl, for exposing in writing position 5 on the table,vthe topmost sheet of the superposed manifold strips. VAs shown over the'top of the table 2 and down o the rear end thereof onto said pulley 11.The band or belt I8 need only be frictionally engaged upon said pulleysand carries iixed thereto a plurality of .projecting push-pegs such as'|39 spaced apart equally on said belt `and adapted to register with andproject through the spaced perforatons of the manifold strips B. Thepulleys I6 and Il are preferably of equal size and the forward pulleyl'6 as shown is mounted in the cabinet to guide the belt I8 from its topperiphery in a straight vline over the table 2. The rearpulley ilismounted in the cabinet with its peripheral surface slightly below thetop lof the table 2 lsojthat the belt 18 in traveling off 'the table tothe periphery of 'said pulley Il takes a slightly downward rearwardslant. The purpose of `this is lto help in disengaging the pegs of thebelt "from the perforations in the manifold strips at the end of a feedstroke. For this purpose also the pegs i 9 are `slightly conical -inshap at 20, preferably in the same horizontal plane as said table 2,said extension having a removable cover member 2l slightly spaced abovethe same as shown in Fig. 1. This rearward extension 2li is formed withaslotted portion 22 indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5 which frames theupper peripheral portion of the pulley I1 as shown in Fig. 3. The covermember 2| of the rear extension 20 is formed at its forward end with anupturned lip 23 for guiding the straight line travelV of the manifoldstrips over the table and at the right hand forward corner of saidmember 2| as shown in Fig. 1 is formed a curled up portion 24 locateddirectly over the rear end of the slot 22 which serves as a stop for thefinger of the operator at the completion of the feed stroke as will behereafter described. Slightly to the rear of said lip portion 23 andstop portion 24 of said cover member 2l is a knife edge portion 25against which some or allof said strips such as llm'ay be torntoseparate record sheets therefrom.

A leaf spring 26 serving as a hold back pawl for said feed belt ismounted on an inside partition 21 of said cabinet in a position to besuccessively engaged by the pegs on the said belt I8 and prevent anyretrograde movement of said feed belt at the completion of a feedstroke. While I have shown a hold back device in its simplest form, itwill be understood that other equally suitable devices may be employed.-AOccasionally it might be desired to move the strips purposely backwardon the table by the feed belt and for this purpose a throw-out, device(not shown) forhthe pawl26 should be provided. 'v

The feed belt is preferably provided with a minimum of three pegs I9,I9a, and l9b, but a greater number may be used if desired, limited onlybythe spacing of the holes in themanifold strips. In the embodimentshown, it will be understood that the lengthwise spacing of the holesinthe manifold strips is the full lengthof a feed stroke.

It is desired that a peg I9 shall emerge from Within the cabinethousingand be exposed for actuation by theoperators finger at thebeginningof a feed stroke; in otherwords at the forward end of thewriting table 2. Simultaneously the peg Isa in' advance should be at therear end of a feed stroke as shown ready to' be submerged in saidhousing upon the next 'feed stroke actation' For this purpose thecentersof the pulleys vI6 and I'I are spaced apartthe length of said feedstroke and vertically in line with'the'beginning and endof said strokerespectively so that the pegs i9 andv I9a when brought tothe top centerof the'corresponding pulley periphery will be in the'position desired.To take care of the proper length' of thevbelt for the distribution ofthree pegs thereon as shown, the pulleys'l and l1 are of a diameter eachhaving a circumference whichA is equal to the distance of a feed stroke,namely, from the center to center of said pulleys.A

The operation of the feed mechanism is as follows: Assuming the parts inposition as shown in Fig.l 3,'the operator for discharging a 'com pletedset of record sheets fromv the tablev 2 and bringing a fresh set ofsheets into writing' position thereonjwill place his finger or thumbagainst the push-peg I9 and push the same rearwardly with 'a downward-pressure again'stthe table until the finger strikes the stop member 24,a'full stroke. The finger of the' operator in so pushing against the pegI9 will not only/push said peg forwardly against the perforated por-,pushed by the operator.

tions of all the superposed strips to bring them into proper register,but also by a simultaneous downward pressure will serve to keep saidstrips down on the table and against the feed belt. In other words,there will be no possibility during this forward stroke, of the stripsbecoming disengaged from the push-pegs. Furthermore at the end of thestroke the nger in coming against the stop 24 will assist in pressingthe peg down- .wardly beneath said stop so as to be stripped fromengagement with the holes in the superposed webs. The stripping actionof said webs from'the driving peg i9 will be assisted by the framing ofthe slot 22 of the extension table 20 which during the submergence ofsaid belt down through the slot will maintain the superposed webs intheir horizontal straight line position on the table andvrearwardextension.

The construction heretofore described may be modified in variousequivalent respects to give the same results. For example it may bedesirable in some cases to position the feed belt at the left side ofthe writing table so as to have the right hand more free for writing.Furthermore, it is not essential that the feed belt actually run overthe top o-f the writing table for engagement with the under side of theweb. For instance, the feed belt may operate in a groove of the table,below the top surface thereof, the essential requirement being that itshould be in a substantially coinciding relation with the top of thetable throughout its length. Additional pegs and. perforations may beemployed to give a partial feed stroke as well as a full stroke. Also,in addition tothe pegs which engage and feed the web other pegs or tabsmay be fixed to the side of the belt for a push by the operator inimparting the feed stroke. However, in its most simplified form, theinvention contemplates the use of the same pegs both for feeding the weband for being `'I'he means for stripping the web from the pegs may beaccomplished by means guiding the web upwardly so as to be lifted offthe pegs instead of guiding the belt and pegs downwardly as shown. Themeans for guiding the discharge of the web from thel writing tablecomprising the horizontal extension 20 ls merely one form for purposesof illustration and it should be understood that Various modificationsthereof may be made to facilitate the guiding of the discharged web intothe storage compartment i0 and provide for the separation Vof thoseportions of the web which are to be torn off. I do not attempt to showall the modications that may be made in the construction shown. 'f

1. In an autographic register in combination; a housing having a writingtable thereon, means Ifor guiding over said writing table successiverecord sheets in the form of a continuous web, said web being perforatedat intervals lengthwise thereof with perforations at correspondingpositions in each record sheet, meansto impart a feed stroke to said webfor bringing a fresh record sheet into writing position on said tableand for discharging a completed record sheet therefrom comprising anendless feed belt having a run located beneath said web in asubstantially coinciding relation with the top of said writing table andpush-pegs projecting from said Abelt in position for actuation by theoperator's finger throughout the length of a feed stroke in causingtravel of said belt from one end to the other of said writing table anda stop abutment at the discharge end of said writing4 table saidabutment projecting upwardly therefrom as high as the top of the pegsadapted for engagement by the operators finger at the co1n-A pletion ofa feed stroke.

2. In an autographic register in combination, a housing having a writingtable thereon, means for guiding over said writing table successiverecord sheets in the form `of a continuous web, said web beingperforated at intervals lengthwise thereof with perforations atcorresponding positions in each record sheet, means to impart a feedstroke to said web for bringing a fresh record sheet into writingposition on said table and for ischarging a completed record sheettherefrom, comprising an endless feed belt with its upper run locatedbeneath said web in a substantially coinciding relation with the top ofsaid Writing table, the lower run of said belt being located below saidtable and within said housing, push-pegs carried by said belt inregister with the perforations of said web and adapted to projectthrough said perforatio-ns during the feed stroke on said web andguiding means for said belt to cause the push-pegs carried thereby toemerge from said housing into exposed position for actuation bytheoperator at the start of a feed stroke and to submerge into saidhousing at the end of a feed stroke and means to prevent retrogrademovement of said web at the completion of a feed stroke comprising apawl positioned below the lower run of said feed belt engageable by thepegs on said belt.

3. In an autographic register in combination, a housing having a writingtable thereon, means for guiding over said writing table successiverecord sheets in the form of a continuous web, said web being perforatedat intervals lengthwise thereof with perforations at correspondingpositions in each record sheet, means to impart a feed stroke to saidweb for bringing a fresh record sheet into writing position on saidtable and for discharging a completed record sheet therefrom, comprisingan endless feed belt with its upper run located beneath said web in asubstantially coinciding relation with the top of said writing table,the lower run of said belt being located below said table and withinsaid housing, push-pegs carried by said belt in register with theperforations of said web and adapted to project through saidperfo-rations during the feed stroke on said web and guiding means forsaid belt to cause the push-pegs carried thereby to emerge from saidhousing into eX- posed position for actuation by the operators finger atthe start of a feed stroke and to submerge into said housing at the endof a feed stroke and a stop abutment at the discharge end of saidwriting table said abutment projecting upwardly therefrom as high as thetop of the pegs adapted for engagement by the operators finger at thecompletion of a feed stroke.

4. In an autographic register in combination, a'

housing having a writing table thereon, means for guiding over saidwriting table successive record sheets in the form of a continuous web,said web being perforated at intervals lengthwise thereof withperforations at corresponding positions in each record sheet, means toimpart a feed stroke to said web for bringing a fresh record sheet intowriting position on said table and for discharging a completed recordsheet therefrom, comprising an endless feed belt with its upper runlocated beneath said web in a substantially coinciding relation with thetop of said writing table, the lower run of said belt being locatedbelow said table and within said housing, push-pegs carried by said beltin register with the perforations of said web and adapted to projectthrough said perforations during the feed stroke on said web and guidingmeans for said belt to cause the push-pegs carried thereby to emergefrom said housing into exposed position for actuation by the operatorsfinger at the start of a feed stroke and to submerge into said housingat the end of a feed stroke and a stop abutment atthe discharge end ofSaid writing table said abutment projecting upwardly therefrom as highas the top of the pegs adapted for engagement by the operators finger atthe completion of a feed stroke, and a knife edge at the rear of saidstop abutment against which separate sheets may be torn from said web.

5. In an autographic register in combination, a housing having a writingtable thereon, means for guiding over said writing table successiverecord sheets in the form of a continuous web, said web being perforatedat intervals lengthwise thereof with perforations at correspondingpositions in each record sheet, means to impart a feed stroke to saidWeb for bringing a fresh record sheet into writing position on saidtable and for discharging a completed record sheet therefrom, comprisingan endless feed belt with its upper run located beneath said web, in asubstantially coinciding relation with the top of said writing table,the lower run of said belt being located below said table and withinsaid housing, push-pegs carried by said belt in register with theperforations of said web and adapted to project through saidperforations during the feed stroke on said web, guide pulleys for saidbelt one at each end of said table to cause the push-pegs carried bysaid belt to emerge from said housing for actuation by the operator atthe beginning of a feed stroke and to submerge into said housing at theend of a feed stroke, `the guide pulley for said belt at the disl chargeend of said table having its belt engaging periphery slightly below thelevel of said table so as to guide the feed belt in a downward rearwardinclination as it leaves said table.

6. In an autographic register in combination, a housing having a writingtable` thereon, means for guiding over said writing table successiverecord sheets in the form of a continuous web, said web being perforatedat intervals lengthwise thereof with perforations at correspondingpositions in each record sheet, means to impart a feed stroke to saidweb for bringing a fresh record sheet into writing position on saidtable and for discharging a completed record sheet therefrom, comprisingan endless feed belt with its upper run located beneath said web in asubstantially coinciding relation with the top of said writing table,the lower run of said belt being located below said table and withinsaid housing, push-pegs carried by said belt in register with theperforations of said web and adapted to yproject through saidperforations. during the feed stroke on said web, guide pulleys for saidbelt one at each end of said table to cause the push-pegs carried bysaid belt to emerge from said housing for actuation by the operator atthe beginning of a feed stroke and to submerge into said housing at theend of a feed stroke, the guide pulley at the discharge end of Saidtable having its belt engaging periphery slightly below the level ofsaid table so as to guide the feed belt in a downward rearwardinclination .as it leaves said table, and an extension of said writingtable arranged to guide said web in being discharged from said writingtable, said extension being formed with a slotted opening through whichthe upper run of said belt submerges as it leaves said writing table.

HOWARD W. LEWIS.

